CHAPTER 1: CYBER CRIME

INTRODUCTION:

We all know that the modern era is known as

the digital era and almost all of our personal and
professional information is stored on
computers. Computers offer us the benefits but
at the same time, there are many illegal
activities that can also be performed with the
help of computers.
Cyber Crime refers to any crime that makes the
involvement of a computer and a network. It is
also known as the Computer Crime. It is an
illegal and criminal activity that is performed on
the internet.
Such crime can be done to any individual person, organization or the infrastructure. Some of
the examples of Cyber Crime are:

• Illegal access
• Illegal transactions
• Hacking
• Misuse of the devices
• Sending Spam Emails
• Fraud

Types of Cyber Crime

Cyber Crime has got many different forms or types. These include the following.

• Hacking
• Email and Internet Fraud
• Malware attacks
• Identity Theft
• Ransomware Attack
• Phishing Attack
• Denial of Service Attack
• Copyright Infringement
Hacking
In simple words, Hacking means to gain illegal access to someone’s computer without his/her
permission. The purpose of hacking can be to steal personal information like data, photos,
bank details etc. The person who performs hacking is known as a Hacker.
A hacker is someone who gains unauthorized access to computer systems or networks
illegally. A hacker finds the weaknesses in the target’s computer system to gain access. He is
a highly creative and intelligent and continuously looking for the loopholes in the network’s
security.
 • All the hackers are not bad. Look for the comparison between a good and bad hacker.
Email and Internet Fraud
Email Fraud means to gain access to someone’s personal Email account by sending some spam
emails or pretending to be a scam. Internet Fraud is a type of Cyber Crime activity which
makes use of the internet that involve hiding of information or providing wrong information
and to trick the victims out of money, property, and personal data.
It uses many components of the internet (Chat, Email, Website etc.). Internet Fraud has got
many types like data breach, Email Spoofing, Credit Card Scams, Greeting Card Scams, Free
Lottery Fraud etc.

Malware Attack
A malware attack is where a computer system or network is infected with a computer virus
or other type of malware. A computer infected by malware could be used by cybercriminals
for several purposes. These include stealing confidential data, using the computer to carry
out other criminal acts, or causing damage to data.

Identity Theft
Identity theft means when someone steals your personal information like Bank account
number, Credit Card number, Passwords etc. without your permission for the purpose of
committing any fraud or crime. First time the term Identity Theft was used in 1964.

Ransomware Attack
A type of malware that prevents users from accessing critical data then demanding payment
in the promise of restoring access.

A famous example of a ransomware attack was the WannaCry ransomware attack, a global
cybercrime committed in May 2017. The ransomware targeted a vulnerability in computers
running Microsoft Windows.

Phishing Attack
A phishing attack is normally done with the help of Spam Emails. The cybercriminals send
spam emails to the recipients pretending to be some fake scheme or offers and when the user
clicks on the links attached, they get their personal data stolen like the passwords. The
phishing emails look like they are from any Bank or Investment Corporation or some Shopping
Mall offering free gift vouchers.

Denial of Service (DoS) Attack

DoS attack is a type of cybercrime attack that is done by the cybercriminals to bring down a
system or a network. This attack can make a machine or network shut down, making it
inaccessible for the intended users. During this attack, the user request for accessing the
website goes to a bogus server and hence the website remains inaccessible.

Copyright Infringement

Copyright infringement is also a cybercrime activity which involves the making use of works
protected by the copyright without permission of the lawful copyright holder. There are many
types of copyright infringement. Some of the examples are posting a video on your website
without taking prior approval from the lawful owner. Infringing copyright is a criminal activity
and against the law.

Exercise Chapter 1
MCQs
1. Persons committing the cybercrime are known as:
a. Programmer b. Cyber Criminal c. Technician d. None of these
2. The first Spam Email was sent in:
a. 1976 b. 1977 c. 1978 d. 1979
3. Gaining illegal access to someone’s computer is called:
a. Hacking b. Spoofing c. Phishing d. Data Breach
4. Which one of the following is not a type of cybercrime?
a. Cyber Bullying b. Stealing c. Playing Games d. Copyright Infringement
5. The type of attack which makes a website inaccessible is known as:
a. Malware Attack b. DoS Attack c. Virus Attack d. None of these
6. When you put some music on your website without taking any permission of the
owner, you are doing the violation of:
a. Identity Theft b. Credit Card Fraud c. Phishing d. Copyright
7. Stealing someone’s important data and then blackmailing them to ask for the
money is the example of:
a. Ransomware Attack b. Internet Fraud c. Email Spoofing d. None of these
8. When you receive a fake email pretending to be a Bank or Investment Scheme,
this can be a attack.
a. Data Breach b. Phishing c. DoS Attack d. None of these
9. The term Identity Theft was first used in:
a. 1961 b. 1962 c. 1963 d. 1964
10. Greeting Card Scam is an example of:
a. Email Spam b. Internet Fraud c. Ransomware d. DoS
Short Questions Answers
1. Define the term Cybercrime and give two example of cybercrime.
2. Who is a Cyber Criminal and why he is more dangerous?
3. What is the difference between hacking and phishing attack?
4. What do you know about the Copyright Infringement?
5. What is the purpose of a Denial of Service (DoS) attack?
6. How does a ransomware attack work?

Long Questions
1. Write a short note on the Cybercrime with the help of examples.
2. One day, you woke up and you found an Email in your inbox telling you
that you have won a lottery of $ 10,000. The Email has a link inside it and
it asks you to confirm your identity by clicking on that link to claim your
prize money. Is it safe to open the link? What can it be – A Spam or
Phishing attack? If this is a phishing scam, what would you do?